Can-opener



J. W. HOWARD.

CAN. OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4,1919.

1,365,405. Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

v UNITED S ATES "PATIENT coma w. muwm cr rrrrsiwaen, rmmvnnn.

I a swarm T all'whcmz't I concern! Be it knownt at I, Joan HOWARD, a citizen of the United States residing at Pittsbur h, in the county of Allegheny and State of ennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can; Openers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being v I accompan ing drawings, forming. part-of this spec catlon. 1

This invention relates broadly to openers and has for its principal object'to provide a mechanism comprising a cutting device and a clamping device, wherein such devices may be relatively adjusted vertically and circumferentially to position, puncture and open the can. v

Another object of the present invention is to provide a can opener of the type referred to, having Several of the parts adjustable to adapt same for use with cans of different heights and diameters.

A' further object of the presentinvention is to provide means for centering, clamping and elevating a can by a single operation to expedite the positioning and opening there- A still further object of the present invention is to construct a can opener in which the cutting device may be adjusted circumferentially orradially, and a relative movement many of said positions may be produced between the cutter and the can to bc opened.

a The foregoing and bther objects, together with their attendant advantages, will be asarent as the invention becomes better un- 7 broken away, and

erstood by reference to the accompanying specification and drawings forming a part thereof, it being premised that changes may be made in the various details and the manner of operation within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved can opener, parts thereof being Fig. 2 is a section on the line II- -II'. of Fig. 1.

, Referring more particularly to the draw ings; I have illustrated a can opener com prising a base 2 of any desired material and.

configuration, carrying a pair of uprights 3 connected by a suitable cross head 4. The uprights 3 preferably have formed on one face thereof a series of rack teeth 5, and

are provided at their lower ends with feet specification Letteulatenfl :Paten'ted Ja m afio 'fld' nci 4 mieii eemixe. 31am; w

had to the 6 to be secured in any desired-man'-" ner'tjo the base2. l

with the rack teeth are P1m ns-7 mounted on the transverselyextend ng 8, which is 'ournaled adjacent its opposite ends in the -shaped.fgu1des 9 "formed -on;thecross 'head 10.. A suitable crank 10.- may be formed or secured to the shaft 8 for rotating the pinions- 7 to elevate 66 the cross head and the mechanism'carried thereby t9 .any desired position. for the purpose hereinafter to be described. Journaled 'n the cross head 10 is a stud shaft 11 carrying at its lower end abevel gear 12 adapted to be rotated by-codperatmg w1th bevel gear 13 suitably actuated by a crank 14; In the preferred embodiment of my invention, thebevel gear 12 carries the cuttm member 15, which is radially adustable or opening cans of difie'rent diameters by the screw 16 and operating thumb nut'17. -It will be apparent that. with'the mechanism described it is possible i to elevate 'the'cross head to any desired po- 80 s1t1on to permit the insertion of a can C on the base betweenthe uprights and that the cutter is radially adjustable for"ope'ning V such cans of varyi diameters.

I havefou nd that it is desirable to center, 88'

elevate and clamp the cans by a single operation. In order to accomplish this-result, I may provide the base 2 with radial slots 18, for receiving clamping jaws .19; tatably mounted in the bearing 20 below the 00 base, 1s ap'late 21 b -vi'n'g eccentric slots 22 .formed therein for receiving the downwardly. projecting pins23 carried by the clamping jaws 19. Each of the. clamping jaws 'is preferably provided-with an in clined upper canreceiving face'24 at the extremity of which .there projects upwardly. a stop 25. Extending through each of the stops 25-is a spring arm 26 having an enlarged head. 27 to limit the movement thereof in one direction, and having an arcuate centering and clamping jaw 28 formed on the opposite end thereof. Intermediate the inwardly in the slots 18, while if the plate 110 21 is rotated in the opposite'direction, an outward movement of the jaws wlll If a can'is placed in position on the inclined faces of the jaws 19, as illustrated, and the plate 21 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the can will ,ride upwardly on the inclined faces vuntil the head of the can is engaged and perforated by the cutting mechanism. At this time the mechanism maybe operated andthe head of the can removed. If desired, the base of the can opener may be provided with asuitable clamp so that it may be clamped to a table 31, or similar support.

The advantages of the-present invention arise from the construction permitting the proper positioning of the cans by a single operation, and from means provided for easily removing the ends when so-pos1- tioned.

I claim: y 1. A can opener, comprising a base, up-

rights carried thereby, a cutting mechanism 1 carried by said uprights, means for simultaneously clamping a can in position to be opened by said cutting mechanism and elevating the same into engagement with the cutting mechanism, and means for producing a relative movement between said clamping means and the cutting mechanism, 'su stantially as described.

2. A. clamping device for can openers, comprising a base having radial grooves formed therein, a plate rotatably mountedwith relation to said base, and having eccentric slots formed therein, clamping jaws having can supporting and elevating faces slidably mounted in said grooves, and having a projection engaging said slots and means for rotating the plate to adjust said jaws, substantially as described v .1

.tially as described.

' i 3. A clampingjaw for can openers, comprising a body having an inclined can-receiving face, a stop formedon said body,

a sprin rod slidabl mounted in said stop, A

and a c amping an centering jawcarried by said rod,-substantially as described.

.4. A'can opener, comprising a base, a cut A ting mechamsm carried thereby, a clamping ously elevating a can into engagement with the cutting mechanism and clampin' the same to prevent rotation thereof, su'stan- 5. A can opener, comprisinga base, acutting mechanism above the base and carried thereby, a clamping mechanism on said base, said'mechanism comprismg a series of adjustable jaws having can supporting and elevating faces, and means for adjusting said aws inwardly to simultaneously elevate the can supported thereon into engagement with the cutting mechanism and clamp the same to prevent rotation thereof, substantially as described.

V 6. A can opener, comprising a base, a cut- Sting mechanism above the base and carried thereby, a clamping mechanism on said base, said mechanism comprising a series ofad: justable jaws having can sup orting and elevating faces, resillent clamplng and centering-means-onsaid. jaws and means for actuating said jaws, substantially as describedi Infltes'timonywhereof I have hereunto set my 'hand.

' TgJOHN W. HOWARD, 

